


Cross Examination

by uniquepov



Series: Lewis: The World, Transformed [16]
Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 15:57:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/980828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uniquepov/pseuds/uniquepov
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James faces more questions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cross Examination

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Lewis, Hathaway, or any of the others; only the plot is mine, and I make no profit from these scribblings. I'm just playing in Colin Dexter's sandbox for a while.  
>  **A/N:** Part 16 of [Lewis: The World, Transformed](http://archiveofourown.org/series/25538). Each installment is exactly 500 words. Thank you to wendymr for betaing.
> 
>  _“The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover the world, transformed.”_ ~~ Jiddu Krishnamurti

It was the plea in Robbie’s voice that convinced James to sit back down, keeping hold of Robbie’s hand as he did. “All right, then. Just the gaps.” Robbie gave a slow nod of encouragement. “You said you remember the chase down the hallway. We closed in on Travisham just as he rounded the corner at the top of the stairs. You got hold of his arm. He turned on you, caught you off-balance. Then you… well, you...”

“Went arse over tit,” Robbie finished for him. 

“As the saying goes,” James agreed. “But I was able to overpower him. Our backup arrived only moments later and called for an ambulance before escorting Travisham back to the nick.”

“You weren’t hurt?”

“I was uninjured, I assure you, but the Chief Super still insisted on putting me on leave. Shock, the doctor said. He recommended a few days’ rest.”

Robbie’s gaze sharpened. “Then why are you here?”

James gave him a surprised look. “Sir?”

“You just said the doctor said you needed rest.”

“Well, yes, but– “

“And herself put you on leave. You should be at home.”

“I’ve been resting here.” Robbie raised an eyebrow at that, and James continued, “I’ve even made use of the empty bed.”

Both Robbie’s eyebrows ascended at that. “You’ve been sleeping here?”

James felt his face redden. “Well, I– “

“James,” Robbie began in his best lecturing tone. James held up a hand to forestall him.

“Please, sir. You have to understand. We couldn’t be certain as to the extent of your injuries until you woke up.”

“You still shouldn’t be at me bedside if you’re supposed to be resting yourself.”

“I needed to be here.”

“Why?”

The question echoed in James’s brain. There were any number of reasons he’d not strayed from Robbie’s bedside, from his genuine concern and caring for his friend to the nagging questions that continued to swirl around his brain. Why had Robbie’s eyes sought his own, in the seconds before his fall? What had been going through Robbie’s mind? Why was he down as Lewis’s emergency contact?

“James.” Robbie’s voice brought James back to himself, and from his governor’s tone of voice, it wasn’t the first time he’d tried to attract James’s attention. “Earth calling James Hathaway.”

“Sorry. Just… thinking.”

“James, it’s not that I don’t appreciate your concern. I do. But you need to take care of yourself, too. Can’t have me sergeant wearing himself out for no reason.”

“I’d call your injuries several bloody good reasons. _Sir_.”

“I notice, James, you always manage to make ‘sir’ sound like an insult.”

“It’s a gift.”

Robbie gave him a weak smile. “All right, cleverclogs. Enlighten me. What was so important that you had to be at my side day and night?”

“I’ve already told you. I needed to be here.”

“And I’ve already asked you, why?”

“Because you’re my partner. Because you’re my governor. Because you’re my friend.” James took a deep breath. “And because I’m down as your emergency contact.”


End file.
